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changing the tune
hi all,
i met this fine fellow in manhattan today. he was playing and singing the blues when i took the first shot. after i put a fiver in his cup, he immediately went into a rendition of "oh happy day!"
shot in raw with my canon 20d, 50mm f/1.4 aboard. in post: no crop, just resizing and a very very small amount of usm (75, .4, 0).
many times i'm asked, "how do you approach strangers for their photograph?" for this guy, i shot the first one here, caught his attention, and started asking him about his life. he told me his life story in about 90 seconds. it's a hard life he's led. i told him his singing, and his music, was great, put a five dollar bill in his cup, and his smile went from ear to ear :-)
other folks, who aren't busking for money, i approach differently. mainly it's just a smile that starts it off, and then sometimes it's a silent pointing to my camera, and i get a nod of approval from them. often i'll say something like "hey! you look great there, may i take your photograph?"
i've taken thousands of street shots and street portraits -- been turned down only very rarely (a handful of times maybe). so, my advice? just ask, and remember to smile
enjoy (changing the tune) photography,
i met this fine fellow in manhattan today. he was playing and singing the blues when i took the first shot. after i put a fiver in his cup, he immediately went into a rendition of "oh happy day!"
shot in raw with my canon 20d, 50mm f/1.4 aboard. in post: no crop, just resizing and a very very small amount of usm (75, .4, 0).
many times i'm asked, "how do you approach strangers for their photograph?" for this guy, i shot the first one here, caught his attention, and started asking him about his life. he told me his life story in about 90 seconds. it's a hard life he's led. i told him his singing, and his music, was great, put a five dollar bill in his cup, and his smile went from ear to ear :-)
other folks, who aren't busking for money, i approach differently. mainly it's just a smile that starts it off, and then sometimes it's a silent pointing to my camera, and i get a nod of approval from them. often i'll say something like "hey! you look great there, may i take your photograph?"
i've taken thousands of street shots and street portraits -- been turned down only very rarely (a handful of times maybe). so, my advice? just ask, and remember to smile
enjoy (changing the tune) photography,
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As always, nice work.
Kent
"Not everybody trusts paintings, but people believe photographs."- Ansel Adams
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gubbs.smugmug.com
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
the 50 f/1.4 takes some understanding, and getting used-to. and sometimes, it needs a kick in the ass, too
i was at iso 100, av mode, f/2.8, 1/100th sec. negative ec of 1/3 stop. evaluative metering. autofocus, center spot focus mode.
hope this helps...
cheers and thanks for the kind words!
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Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Andy, great shots of the music man.
The question I get, always, not sometimes, always, is, "what are you going to do with these/this picture?"
Don't you get that question and what do you say?
As from my perspective, as someone who shoots primarily for this site. I hate to say "the internet club I belong to". Some people are terrified of the internet. My own daughter would not want her children on the internet from some stranger............she has asked me to take anything remotely suggestive off.
This is a scary world for some people, and the internet can be frightening, for good reason, or not, I do not know.
Also, I do have cards, I have found people respond well to my handing them a card and telling them to e-mail me and I will e-mail them a photograph.
As I think I have mentioned, I do not hear much and I understand less. If one wants to research, my hearing is at the 90 db level, corrected..........well, my word discrimination is low. I lived in denial for many years so have learned to hide this by pretending to hear (sometimes that can make me an idiot, I am expecting a grandchild any day, but I asked several times, and I was told September, heard it as December, and I had no idea.........until last week)
You can imagine that this might cause a problem with strangers. I have thought of having cards printed saying that I am deaf (explaining things like "I do wear hearing aids", "please don't shout" and "word discrimination", well, people related to me don't understand, the general public is not interested in a learning experience.). I have a card outside my door saying that I am deaf. It helps with deliveries and things.
I have thought of this idea of a second card, one that could be used in other situations, too. What do you thinK?
Also, I have thought of having another card printed up saying what I use the pictures for. Can you all tell me what you tell people you use the pictures for?
That has been a problem for me, even when I hear the question.
Thanks, ginger
yes, i get the question from time to time. maybe 10% of the time. these are the ones i will press for a release from. but honestly most of the time i just get an assent. giving them my business card definitely helps, and yeah, i promise them a copy if they email me. the only email me about 25% of the time.
you have special challenges, ginger, and i applaud your efforts and ability to get out there and do this! you could always tell the subject you are doing an assignment for a photography class, that always works well.
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